More Tribble Trouble
by tigersmeleth
Summary: Oh that one little tribble that Odo brought back....


More Tribble Trouble This is dedicated to Mr. Paul Carroll who had a wonderful sense of humor.  
  
Odo, Sisko and Dax looked on into the bar as Quark sat down and sighed. There was a white tribble on his head and many others surrounded him.  
* * * Quark felt something oddly soothing about the tribbles' cooing. He couldn't remember a time when he felt this relaxed. Quark let out a frustrated sigh and mumbled "This is all Odo's fault! I should have listened to my instincts and didn't buy it. I should have seen it coming!" Just then Odo walked up and asked" What's the matter Quark? Got too many tribbles?"  
  
"Too many to count" replied a sarcastic Quark. Then without warning he exploded. "This is all your fault if you didn't buy that stupid tribble, I wouldn't be stuck here!" Quark only stopped to catch some breath then he went on, "These things are consuming my stock! They're making me lose my profit!"  
  
Odo only laughed and said "Look at it this way, this is only a light punishment for all of those little, medium and big crimes you've done."  
  
Quark looked at Odo in desperation and said" You call this light! By the profits! I think this is pretty big." Odo went on as if Quark never said anything. "Besides those tribbles have brought more profit didn't it – no make that more profit and customers."  
  
Grudgingly Quark had to agree, with one little thing, "But what about Worf? He used to come in here for prune juice or blood wine. Now with all these tribbles here I lost one good customer."  
* * * Sisko and Dax stayed in the shadows partially watching Odo and Quark doing one of their daily arguments and partially talking about their recent adventure aboard the original Enterprise. "Can you still believe you got James T. Kirk's autograph?"  
  
"No, Old Man, I still don't believe it myself, but believe me, I'll always treasure it." Sisko turned back to observe the ongoing argument between Odo and Quark. As he did he remembered something that wasn't going to please Quark.  
*** "Odo, come on! You can't be serious; are you?" Sisko heard Quark's whiny voice pleading.  
  
"Yes Quark I am." Odo was tired of arguing with Quark but part of him enjoyed it. At the sound of Sisko's footsteps he turned around.  
  
"Gentleman am I interrupting something?" Sisko looked around. "No? Good, because I have some bad news for you Quark."  
  
Quark, his whiny expression suddenly gone asked, "Why's that?"  
  
Sisko hesitated for a moment before replying. "Chancellor Gowron is arriving at 0800. From the way the Klingons acted in the original Enterprise, they won't come within two meters of this bar. Chancellor Gowron has agreed to a temporary truce and I don't want anything, especially tribbles, to ruin it. If you don't clean this bar up by 0800 hours, I'm afraid I'll have to order you to close this bar." Sisko looked directly at Quark for an answer.  
  
Quark only laughed a small laugh and said, "Why pick me? It was Odo who bought that stupid tribble aboard."  
  
"Yes but you were stupid enough to buy it from him." Sisko countered.  
  
"B-b-but," Quark sputtered in rage.  
  
"Did I also mention you will not pay anyone to do this cleaning job for you?" With that he walked to Dax who was waiting for him.  
  
"So how did it go?" asked Dax.  
  
"Don't ask" Was all Sisko said before going off to his quarters.  
* * * Sixteen year old Jake Sisko sat down. He was excited because he heard about the tribbles in Quark's bar. "It would make an interesting story." Not to mention that the little furballs were cute. They seemed to make good pets. Maybe he could get one.  
  
When Sisko came in the room he jumped right up and asked "Hey Dad! Another hard day at Quark's?"  
  
"Hello Jake, you might say that." Sisko sat down. Jake could tell he was tired, still he couldn't resist asking, "Dad, could I get a tribble?" Jake thought for sure that he would say yes but to his surprise... "No Jake you may absolutely not have a tribble!" It was the first time in a while Jake heard his Dad snap at him.  
  
Sisko looked up at his son and said "Sorry Jake it's just that they multiply so fast, that within a day or two we'll be hip deep in them."  
  
"Well than Dad, forget that subject. I'll just interview Quark." Jake was cheerful as he left the room. Well it was looking like another long night of work.  
* * * The next day at 0759 Quark was still picking up the tribbles. At 0800 he only picked up a fourth of them. The tribbles were multiplying so much that not only the bar was filled up, but part of the promenade was filled up as well. Quark stood up a moment to survey his surroundings. There were tribbles everywhere and civilians, merchants and crewman looking half asleep while holding tribbles in one hand and holding some more in the other.  
  
"I'm in big trouble." Quark said to know one. Just as Quark picked up another tribble, he saw the Klingons walking into the promenade. "Oh no! The Klingons are here!" Sure enough, a swarm of thirty Klingons walked into the promenade. The surrounding tribbles screamed.  
  
Suddenly Sisko with Chancellor Gowron arrived. Just as suddenly they came in, everything in the room was quiet. Gowron to one quick look and practically shouted to Sisko, "What's the meaning of this!?" Everyone, including Sisko grimaced. "Sisko! At the moment the Klingon Empire and the Federation are under a truce—might I add that could change very quickly, because we thought that we had seen the honor in your people. I see that we were wrong. Men—..."  
  
"Hang on a minute Chancellor," Sisko spoke with certainty and confidence, but anyone who knew him well could tell he was not very certain he could cool Gowron's rage. Even so, he shouted "Quark!"Quark came scurrying out from his bar with an armful of tribbles and two on his head. "What is it Captain? Can't you see I'm trying to clean this place up, so the Klingons' stay will be more enjoyable."  
  
"More enjoyable?" Gowron roared. "You think having all of these despicable things around, makes a Klingons' stay more enjoyable!" Quark looked like he wanted to shrink into a mouse and scurry away.  
  
"Chancellor, Chancellor, you didn't understand, I will clean this place up by tomorrow, guaranteed." Quark looked hopefully at Gowron, hoping he would soften just a little bit. Unfortunately for him, Gowron was even angrier with him. "Uh-oh," Thought Quark. "This not going to be a pretty sight.  
  
"You dare to contradict the Klingon High Chancellor! You are a petaq!" Gowron roared again. This time, it was so loud it seemed that everyone on the station, even on ops, heard him. Quark thought he felt the promenade vibrate just a little bit. Quark thought about the wonderfully pessimistic Klingon phrase "It is a good day to die." Maybe it was a good day for him to die. Quark thought "At the rate Gowron's yelling at me, maybe it is a good day to die, not that I have much of a choice"... 


End file.
